Ductor roller control for printing presses



Jan. '18, 1949. G. H. SCHULTZ DUCTOR ROLLER CONTROL FOR PRINTING PRESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, l946 ATTORN 5/ I G. H. SCHULTZ 2,459,189

DUCTOR ROLLER CONTROL FOR PRINTING PRESSES Jan. 18, 1949.

Filed March 25', 1946- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

GEORGE H. SCHULTZ ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 18, 194

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUCTOR ROLLER CONTROL FOR PRINTING PRESS'ES' George H. Schultz, Elmsford N. Y.

Application March 25, 1946, Serial No. 656,915

'7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to printing presses and particularly to the control of the ink distributing mechanism therefor. The invention is an improvement over the device disclosed in my copending application, Serial Number 598,962, filed June 12, 1945, and entitled Duct'or roller control for printing presses.

In Miehle and other cylinder type printing presses a reciprocating ink distributing table is engaged by an ink applying ductor roller which is caused to rotate as the table reciprocates under it and to swing downwardly at the'end of each reciprocation of the table and touch an ink fountain roller to obtain a supply of ink. The ductor roller rotates in contact with the fountain roller for a fraction of its rotation each time it touches the fountain roller, a certain amount of ink being picked during this contact.

Since the ink distributing table ismoving at a considerable speed when it moves free of the ductor roller, it leaves the latter spinning, and since each cycle of operation of the press has the same effect on the ductor roller as the preceding cycle, unless something is done to control the movement of the ductor roller, the tendency is for the same surface area thereon to contact the ink fountain roller for each cycle of operation. Furthermore, if the ductor roller is rotating with respect to the ink fountain roller when the contact is made, there will be a tendency for the ink to pile up on the ductor roller in front of the point of contact. Thus, a particular por'-' tion only of the ductor roller receives ink at each contact with the fountain roller.

The same point on the surface of the ductor roller will also tend to contact the ink distributing table at the same point for each cycle, and thus a particular strip of surface across the table will receive ink from that particular portion of the ductor roller having the supply of ink. This produces an uneven distribution of ink on the table and consequently an uneven distribution of ink on the type with the obvious undesirable results.

In the application above referred to a brake shoe is disclosed which is arranged to contact the shaft of the ductor roller duringv a portion of its movement between the ink table and: the fountain roller and to apply a pressure thereto under control of a compression spring, whereby its rotation is arrested so that it will touch-the fountain roller at a slightly different point (say one third of a complete rotation from its previous point of contact) for each cycle of operation. This distributes the ink evenly on the ink 2. table and eliminates the undesirable effects described'above. The time during which the brake shoeis acting on the ductor roller shaft is adjustable and hence the amount of rotation of the ductor roller as it moves between the ink table and the fountain roller is adjustable.

The device carrying the brake shoe is shown in the said application as an attachment for the printing press; and the brake shoe is shown as operatively associated with the shaft of the ductor roller at all times. Because ofthis fact the brake shoe may become damaged when the duotor roller shaft is removed unless precautions are taken. The present invention contemplates amounting for the brake shoe'whereby itcan be swung clear of the ductor roller shaft into a collapsed or folded out-of-the-way position or held in operative position with respect to the ductor roller shaft. The present invention providesfor releasably securing the brake shoe assembly in either position.

It is therefore the principal object of the invention to'provide a ductor roller controllingat tachment for a" printing press which may be locked in position in operative association with the ductorro'ller shaft and which may be quickly and easily 'foldedor collapsed into an out-of-theway position, free from association with the duotor roller shaft, without upsetting the brake shoe adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ductor roller controlling. attachment for a printing press which is adapted to be locked in operative association With the ductor roller shaft by two locking means, one of which is easily released and is adapted to cooperate with the other to afiect' the release thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a duct-or roller controlling attachment for a printingpress in which a plurality of locking means is provided for locking the device in operative association with the ductor roller and one of said locking means cooperates to lock-said device in a collapsed, out-of-the-way position When it is moved into such position.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of an attachment embodying the invention, showing it in operative position;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same attachment showing it in another position and 3 V in the act of being released from its operative position;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the same attachment showing it in its collapsed or folded, out-of-the-way position;

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of the attachment in the position shown in Figure 1 and taken on the line 44 of that figure;

Figure 5 is a sectional plan View of the attachment taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 but showing the bracing means thrown back into the folded position;

Figure 6 is a front view of the attachment in the position of Figure 1 with the brake shoe support broken away;

Figure 7 is an end view of the brake shoe support; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the brake shoe and support.

Referring now more specifically to Figure 1, only those portions of a Miehle type printing press have been shown which are deemed necessary for an explanation of the invention. A portion of the frame H! is shown supporting an ink roller ll rotatably mounted on a shaft 12 and adapted to be supplied with ink from a reservoir supported within the frame to the right of the ink roller, as viewed in Figure 1. The ductor roller i3 is rotatably mounted on a shaft M which is supported between two brackets IE only one of which is shown. The brackets 15 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 16 and are caused to oscillate about that shaft as an axis by means of a link i! controlled by a suitable portion of the operating mechanism (not shown). With the oscillation of the brackets I5, the ductor roller 93 is caused to swing back and forth between the position shown in full lines and that shown in dot-and-dash lines at I8, in which latter position the ductor roller is kissing the ink roller to receive ink from it. It will be understood that in its uppermost position the ductor roller will contact an ink table (not shown), when the latter moves under the roller.

The attachment for controlling the ductor roller comprises a brake shoe l9, curved into a U-shaped cross section to fit around the shaft 14 and supported on a rod 20 mounted for longitudinal movement in a tubular support member 2|. An enlarged bore 22 of the member 2| houses. a coil spring 23, and this spring is compressed between the inner end of the enlarged bore 2! and a shoulder 24 on the rod 20. The rod and attached brake shoe may be forced into the support only by compressing the spring 23, while the rod is prevented from moving to the left out of the support by means of a nut 25, screwed on to the threaded end 26 of the rod 20. The nut 25 preferably has friction engagement with the threaded end 26 of the rod 20 and to this end may be provided with a split portion 21, which may be adjusted by a screw 21' although any other type of friction grip may be employed; Another nut 28 may be screwed onto a smaller diameter end portion of the rod 20 to prevent the nut 25 from being turned off the rod altogether. Between the nut 25 and the end of the support 2! I preferably provide a thick fibre washer 29 to absorb the shock as the spring drives the rod outwardly during each cycle of operation of the device.

The brake shoe and the support therefor, just described above, is substantially the same as disclosed in my copending application, above referred to. The support is pivotally mounted so the adjustment of the nut 25 the time during which the brake shoe bears against the shaft of the ductor roller in each cycle may be adjusted, and it will be seen that the pressure of the brake shoe against the shaft will be determined by the compression spring 23. This application is concerned with the manner of pivotally mounting the brake shoe support which provides for the collapsing feature already referred to.

In order to mount the brake shoe support according to the present invention, a base member 30 which may comprise a solid rectangular block of steel may be fastened to the frame B0 in any desired manner, as by two stud bolts 3|. A pair of uprights 32 are pivotally mounted on one end of the base member 30 by means of a shaft 33 which extends transversely through-a suitable hole in the end of the base member, parallel to the ductor roller shaft Hi. Both uprights 32 are, preferably, arranged to move together as a unit as the shaft rotates in the base member. To this end a plate 34 is attached to both uprights by means of screws 35. The shaft 33 is spaced from the end of the base member 30 so that when the uprights are at right angles to the base member 30, as shown in Figure 1, the sides of the uprights adjacent that end of the base member will be spaced from the end sufiiciently to allow the edgeof the plate 34 to bear against the upper surface of the base member. In this manner the plate 34 acts as a stop to prevent the uprights from being rotated any farther in the direction of the. ductor roller than the right-angular position, shown in Figure 1, although the uprights are free to rotate to the right, as viewed in that figure.

A shaft 36 at the other end of the uprights and extending through both is used for pivotally mounting the brake shoe support 2!. To this end a block 31 is mounted between the uprights, with the shaft 36 passing through a hole in the block, the block being fixed to the shaft in any desired manner. provided with a hole into which a reduced portion of the end of the support 2| is tightly fitted, so as to be substantially integral with the block. The shaft 36 thus forms a pivot for the brake shoe support spaced from the center line of the support.

The uprights 32 are additionally prevented from pivoting to the left, as viewed in Figure l, farther than the position shown in the figure by the ends 31' of the uprights which are adapted to engage the frame at the left of the pivot when in the position shown. The right lower corner 38 of each upright, however, is curved, so as to clear the frame when the uprights are rotated in the other direction.

A pair of brace members 39 are mounted, one on each side of the base member 30, on a shaft 40 which extends through a hole in the base member,

The other end of the block is 25 in :operating position with vrespect :to the ductor :roller shaft. I l

. It is :desirable to shave dshe irbrace. members v3.9 z-m ctight engagement :with athe auprightsZ when the pi'essrisioperating so asdo preventithehracemem- To :provide means for springing the uprights,

as mentioned above, .-so :that the :brace :members may abeseated :properly in the notches and ..re-. leasedawhen.desired,.lzprovide aflatzmetal'thandle vmember "43 which may be preferably 2a little mar- 'rowerin rwidthihanxthe distanoexbetweemthe uprights 32. Thismember .isipivotedto the uprights .byaneansof a shaft:44;which=eXtends throughsthe .uprightsand may conveniently'be?-bentfiinto an eye nwhichsurrounds the shaft. This combined handle and;brace member .43 :may have an end portion. 4.5 :whichisbent to lie. flat on "ct-he :base member 30 when :the device .isin the :operating position, as :shown in Figure .1,'in which position a.hole 46 :in .the end:portion:4;5:fitsiover a .pin 41 :whichex'tends :upwardly from the liasezmember. With the handle member 43 in this position, even without'the brace members .39, the :uprights :32 are iheld in their operating position.

:Whenitis desired to .fold or collapse the device in orderito remove the iductoriroller-shaft, or'forother. reasons-the "handle and .brace member-43 is :raisedby grasping the .end :portion 45 which overrhangs 'therzbase member 30. The edge of the hole :46teasily .clears the ,pin 41 by virtue of the 'arc through which-zthehandle:membermoves. The

handle member is then raised to the position showninFigure z when a portion of it will engage the block 31, associated with the support member 2|. Pressure with the palm'of the hand against ,the .handle member as .a lleverz willzspring the parts slightly, if necessary compressing the :spring 23, so as to permit the brace members 39 to be swung out of the notches' 42 'in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2 until they lie down against the frame Lbythe sides of .thebase member 30, as-they are shown in Figure 3.

The uprights 32 are now free to be swung to the right, as viewed in Figures 1, 2, and 3, until they assume the position of Figure 3, and the brake shoe support may be swung down against the plate 34, as shown. The handle-brace member 43 will now lie flat on the top of the base member 30, and in this position the pin 41 will pass through another hole 48, provided for that purpose in the member 43. With the handle member in this position and the support 2| folded down against the plate, the corner 49 of the block 3'! acts to prevent the handle member from being raised without considerable force being applied to it and thus is an efiective look. When the support 2| is pivoted in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 3 and the corner 49 of the block thus raised from the handle, the latter may be easily raised from the pin 41 to raise the whole assembly again, and by slightly springing it, as already explained, the brace members 39 may be swung into engagement with the notches. If let go, the handle 43 will then fall into engagement with the pin 41 to act as an additional brace and safety catch ,to hold the device .in -;cperative position.

Iv-will be :seen from vthe :above that I have ipro- -v-ided a supporting arrangement for .a ductor roller controlling device :by ;means .of which :the device may be secured in operating position vor may f'be sfolde'd down 1 outiof zthe =way =when .zitrisadesired to iremove the :ductor roller :shaft zor' for otherirea'sons. The :device may be substantially locked in soperating position without :danger :of' --being :shaken loose :by :thevibration of the machine, :and, similarly, it :may :be .substantially locked in thea'folded .or collapsed position. *Qnce the :operating .position .of :the ibrake .shoe irespect .to :the ductor roller shaft is (adjusted ibyithe adjustment of Lthe nutt25 to :give :the1desired-.con- .=trol to thesductor lroller shaft, the device amaybe collapsed and :returned again t-to the roperating position, .at will, Without disturbing zthiS adjustment. All of the desirable features :explainediin connection with :the. aboveementioned l application are retained, lincluding the ability to adjustithe device while theipress is in operation.

"What I claim 11S:

'1. An attachment for a printing-presslhavingra "frame and a :ductor roller, arranged to swing about an .axis parallel *to the shaft of said roller, comprising :-a brake shoe :adapted to engage the shaft -.of said :ductor roller, :a base for sa'id attachment adaptedtobe secured :to said frame, upright means pivotally mounted on said base support :means ,for: said'brakeishoe pivotally mounted .on :said .upri'ght means, said baserarranged to be mountedionsaid frameinsuchaposition that the pivot .o'fesaid :brake :shoe .support means lies on :a :line zperpendicular to said axis and within the arc :of movement of said=ductor :roller, means associatedlwith-saidssupport 11163115 13068.1186 saidbrake shoe .to :contactsaid ductor roller shaft for a portion only of .its swing, and releasable rmeans hold- :irrg saidupright means in fixedoperating position wvith ,respect to said *base and permitting ithe swinging thereof about the pivot on said base when. said means released :to move said-brake shoe; olearroi'saidzductor rollerlshaft.

i2., Anrattachmentiforza printing .press having a Jframe and a 'iductor eroller, arranged to'swing about an axis :parallel to the shaft of said roller,

--;comprising 'a brake shoe zadapted itoceng-age ithe ,shaft ,of said-ductor rollenia bases-for, saidiattachment adapted it!) :beqsecured to said :framempright means pivotally mounted on said base, support means for said brake shoe pivotally mounted on said upright means, said base arranged to be mounted on said frame in such a position that the pivot of said brake shoe support means lies on a line perpendicular to said axis and within the arc of movement of said ductor roller, means associated with said support means to cause said brake shoe to contact said ductor roller shaft for a portion only of its swing, and releasable bracing means extending from a portion of said upright means to a portion of said base, pivotally attached to one and adapted to engage the other, to secure said upright means in operating position and to permit the swinging thereof about the pivot on said base when said means is released to move said brake shoe clear of said ductor roller shaft.

3. An attachment for a printing press having a frame and a ductor roller, arranged to swing about an axis parallel to the shaft of said roller, comprising a brake shoe adapted to engage the shaft of said ductor roller, a base for said attachment adapted to be secured to said frame, upright means pivotally mounted on said base, supon a line perpendicular to said axis and within the arc of movement of said ductor roller, means associated with said support means to cause said brake shoe to contact said ductor roller shaft for a portion only of its swing, releasable means to secure said upright means in operating positions; and to permit the swinging thereof about the pivot on said base when said means is released to move said brake shoe clear of said ductor roller shaft, said last-mentioned means comprises bracing means pivotally attached to said base and engageable with said upright means when saidupright means is sprung in the direction of said ductor roller, and additional bracing means pivotally secured to said upright means and engageable with said base. 1

4. An attachment for a printing press,-as defined in claim 3, in which the bracing means pivotally secured to the upright means is extended to form a hand engaging member and a stop is provided on said upright means limiting the" swing of said bracing means,'whereby said member may be used to spring said upright means in the direction of said ductor roller and thereby to release the first bracing means and permit the swinging of said upright means and associated parts away;;: from said ductor roller.

5. An attachment for a printing press, as defined in claim 3, in which the bracing means pivoted to said upright means is provided with a first hole adapted to engage a pin on the base for; bracing said upright means in operating position and a second hole adapted to engage said pin when said upright means is swung to its limit of movement towards said base, and in which means is provided to lock said bracing member with saida roller, means. connecting said uprights. topause them to move in unison and to provide a stop which contacts said base when said uprights are.

in their operating position perpendicular with respect to said base, support means for said brake shoe, pivotally mounted between the outer .ends of 'saiduprights, means to provide limited longitudinalmovement of said brake shoe with respect to said support, resilient means to urge saidbrake shoe towards the outer limit of the movement with respect to said support, a shaft rotatably mounted at the other end of said base parallel to thepivota-l axis of said uprights, a pair of..brace members secured to said shaft in spaced relation and adapted to engage notches in said uprights-when said brace members are swung towardssaid uprights and said uprights are sprung slightly beyond their perpendicular stopped position; a second brace member pivoted between said uprights at a point between the point where said support is pivoted and the point where said supports are pivoted to said base, said second brace member being curved to lie on the top of said base when said uprights are in their operating.position,.a pin extending outwardly from the top of said base I and adapted to pass into an opening in the portion of said second brace member lyingagainst said base, whereby said brace member is. held against movement with respect to said base and said uprights are additionally held in operating position by said member. I

g 7. An attachment for a'printing press, as defined in claim 6, in which the second brace member is provided with a second hole into which'the pin on the base may pass when theuprightsare REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in "he file of this patent:

UNITED'SITATQEIS 'PATEN'IQS I I I is Number Name Date Zablocki June 4, 194 0 

